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Having been a teacher (for one miserable year) I have too much to say about this. I'll try to make a few points and not rant. There is a reason that classes ar

Having been a teacher (for one miserable year) I have too much to say about this. I'll try to make a few points and not rant. There is a reason that classes are like this. In my experience it is because if you try to have more participation in a large classroom it devolves quickly into chaos. Which you you little angels remember making sport of the substitute teacher? Putting 30 teenagers in a room with one adult and expecting them to sit for an hour every day and "learn" is laughably insane. Teachers that make it work do so by becoming wardens of their own little compound. And this is after all effective tools for discipline have been taken away from teachers and most parents and the slimy administrative politicians siding against you. Maybe if you could beat a little psychopath once in a while you would not have to put 99% of your classroom effort to shushing and threatening and other emotionally abusive crowd control techniques. Ever heard of Sudbury schools? These are schools were they don't make the kids do anything. There are no classes, standards or curriculum. Testing shows no significant academic difference with "normal" schools. Think about that: the effect of modern education is indistinguishable from a placebo. Education is fucked from the ground up. It's a stupid idea poorly executed. I say let's just be honest and call school what it is: baby-sitting. At least then we can stop being so cruel to our children and let them relax and enjoy themselves. Sorry, I failed to not rant.

valar_m 12y ago
Two years ago, I spent eight weeks teaching high school students about the legal system through a juvenile diversionary program called Street Law. One would think that this would be prime time for what you described, what with me being essentially a substitute teacher for a classroom of only students who had all at some point been charged with a crime. It was not. In fact, the exact opposite occurred. Students engaged in thoughtful discussion on a wide range of complex issues on which reasonable minds frequently disagree. We debated constitutional rights and justice reform. We shared personal experiences with racism and bigotry. We searched for ideas to stop it. One or two times, I think I even saw someone consider changing their mind. You probably think I am making this up. I am not. It happened, and I think it happened because I didn't treat them like children. I spoke to them with honesty. I asked them what they thought, and it took them by surprise. Perhaps if we stopped treating them like small children, they will stop acting that way. let's just be honest and call school what it is: baby-sitting Oh.
- protonfish 12y ago
  Some of the best teaching being done today in public schools in the U.S. is in what is commonly called "alternative education." These are special facilities for "problem" students. The expectations are low. The politicians and parents are overjoyed the students bothered to show up. It is very similar in environment to Sudbury schools. One of the many topics I didn't address in my mini-rant is how, when you stop brutally regimenting education, real learning can occur. It's too bad we don't allow students that haven't committed crimes this same opportunity.

valar_m 12y ago

Two years ago, I spent eight weeks teaching high school students about the legal system through a juvenile diversionary program called Street Law. One would think that this would be prime time for what you described, what with me being essentially a substitute teacher for a classroom of only students who had all at some point been charged with a crime. It was not. In fact, the exact opposite occurred. Students engaged in thoughtful discussion on a wide range of complex issues on which reasonable minds frequently disagree. We debated constitutional rights and justice reform. We shared personal experiences with racism and bigotry. We searched for ideas to stop it. One or two times, I think I even saw someone consider changing their mind. You probably think I am making this up. I am not. It happened, and I think it happened because I didn't treat them like children. I spoke to them with honesty. I asked them what they thought, and it took them by surprise. Perhaps if we stopped treating them like small children, they will stop acting that way. let's just be honest and call school what it is: baby-sitting Oh.

protonfish 12y ago
Some of the best teaching being done today in public schools in the U.S. is in what is commonly called "alternative education." These are special facilities for "problem" students. The expectations are low. The politicians and parents are overjoyed the students bothered to show up. It is very similar in environment to Sudbury schools. One of the many topics I didn't address in my mini-rant is how, when you stop brutally regimenting education, real learning can occur. It's too bad we don't allow students that haven't committed crimes this same opportunity.